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Cookies Notice
LAST UPDATED: August 1, 2023
1. What is a Cookie?
Cookies are small bits of data we store on the device (computer, mobile phone, tablet or any other mobile device) that you use to access any of the SurveyMonkey websites (the Sites), so we can recognize repeat users. Each cookie expires after a certain period of time depending on what we use it for.
In our Cookies Notice, we use the word “cookies” as a catchall term to include not only cookies, but also other technologies such as pixels, web beacons and page tags. Like most commercial websites we use cookies on SurveyMonkey web pages.
We use cookies for several reasons. Below we list and describe the various types of cookies we use on our Site.
2. What Cookies Do We Use?
Below we list the different types of cookies that may be used on the Sites. Section 7 includes detailed lists of cookies used on each of our Sites which include information about type of cookie, expiry periods and links to third party sites where applicable.
The Sites use both first party cookies (which are set by the Sites being visited) and third party cookies (which are set by a server located outside the domain of our Sites).
3. Why Do We Use Cookies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for several reasons:
- To gather metrics.
For example, we will collect data about the number of clicks it took Respondents to complete a survey, whether they left and returned to a survey, whether they skipped parts of a survey and how long it took to complete the survey and other details about the survey taking. We also record clicks of the survey creation process to determine whether the product is intuitive enough so as to improve the overall service experience. This information is collated and kept at an aggregated, pseudonymized level.
- To make our site easier to use.
Creators: if you use the “Remember me” feature when you sign into your account, we store your username in a cookie to make it quicker for you to sign in whenever you return to our site.
- For security reasons.
We use cookies to authenticate your identity and confirm whether you are currently logged into our site or determine if an incident impacts you.
- To provide you with personalized content.
We store user preferences, your default language, device and browser information, your profile information which includes, the level of usage of service and the web-pages on our site which you visit, so we can identify you across devices and personalize the content you see.
- To improve our services and track our campaigns.
We use cookies to analyze and measure your visits to and exploration of our websites and track referral data. This information helps us to develop and improve our services (it helps us focus on the parts of the service you seem most interested in), to optimize the content we display online and also to track the success of marketing campaigns.
- To advertise to you.
We, or our service providers and other third parties we work with, place cookies when you visit our website and other websites or when you open advertising content online or emails that we send you, in order to provide you with more tailored marketing content (about our services or other services), and to evaluate whether this content is useful or effective. For instance, we evaluate which ads are clicked on most often, and whether those clicks lead users to make better use of our tools, features and services. If you don’t want to receive ads that are tailored to you based on your online activity, you may “opt out” of many of the companies that are involved in such tailoring by going to https://www.aboutads.info, https://preferences-mgr.truste.com/ or, if you’re located in the European Union, at https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. Opting out in this way does not mean you will not see any ads; it just means that you will not see ads that have been tailored to you based on your activities and inferred preferences.
- Google Analytics.
We use Google Analytics as a tool to measure the success of our advertising campaigns and referrals through third party advertising partners. The Google Analytics data collected for these purposes is aggregated and anonymous.
Where you have explicitly consented, or have not disabled third party advertising cookies (depending on your location), we will also use Google Analytics data to support display advertising, including re-targeting. In addition to customizing your preferences for these behaviors through steps we have outlined in our banners and privacy notices you can also customize the Google Display Network ads by using the Google Ad Preferences Manager and learn more about how Google serves ads by viewing its Customer Ads Help Center.
4. Required Cookies
(Example: a cookie used for login authentication)
Certain cookies are necessary in order for the Sites and Services to operate correctly and remain secure, to ensure essential functionality, to measure and analyze site traffic at the aggregate level and to stabilize the Sites. Often these cookies are set in response to a request for service or functionality made by you. We have to load required cookies for legitimate interests pursued by us in delivering essential functionality of our Sites and Services to you and your respondents.
5. Functional Cookies
(Example: a cookie that stores your language preference)
These cookies collect information about your choices and preferences, and collect information about your use of the Sites and Services which enable us to improve functionality. For example, these cookies show us which are the most frequently visited pages on the Sites, allow us to present the Sites according to the settings you selected, help us record any difficulties you have with the Sites, and show us whether our advertising is effective or not. In some cases these cookies allow us to see the overall patterns of usage on the Sites, rather than the usage of a single person (except where that is part of the necessary function of the cookie).
6. Advertising Cookies
(Example: cookies set from domains corresponding to our marketing affiliates, like ads.linkedin.com or bing.com or facebook.com)
We may use cookies to market our services to you on third party websites or to measure and track the effectiveness of our marketing efforts so that we can tailor our advertising more effectively.
We also contract with third party advertising networks that may collect IP addresses and other information from web beacons on our websites, emails, and on third party websites. Ad networks follow your online activities over time by collecting website navigational information through automated means, including through the use of cookies. They use this information to provide advertisements about products and services that may be of interest to you. You may see these advertisements on other websites.
7. How Do I Manage Cookies?
Users in some locations can manage their cookie preferences and withdraw consent to use of certain cookies within our cookie banner. Users outside these locations can remove or disable cookies within their browser settings. The settings and steps for managing cookies vary by browser, so we suggest referring to your browser’s documentation. For more information see our Help Center article here. One important note is that if you do go this route, this might adversely impact your ability to use our services effectively. Enabling certain types of cookies ensures a smoother experience when you use our site.
To learn more about how to disable cookies you can refer to our Help Center article here or this external website: https://www.aboutcookies.org/
If you are a customer and you separately use cookies or similar technologies on your site in conjunction with our products, you are independently responsible for management of the data collected through those cookies and for compliance with all laws related to usage of these technologies.
8. Lists of Cookies Used Broken Down by Site
Our Sites:
9. Do Not Track Disclosure
Regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have promoted the concept of Do Not Track as a mechanism to permit Internet users to control online tracking activity across websites through their browser settings. Since no industry standard has been adopted, we currently do not process or comply with any web browser’s “do-not-track” signal or other similar mechanism that indicates a request to disable online tracking of individual users who visit our Sites or use our Services.